How does the Prepaid Lane work?

Your prepaid ticket grants you access to Grandfather Mountain through the Prepaid Lane located 0.3-mile south of the main Entrance Gate on Blowing Rock Highway/U.S. 221.

The Prepaid Lane also may be accessed by Bridge Club members or other guests with prepaid tickets (i.e. tickets purchased through your hotel/motel, tickets won in contest, etc.)

The Prepaid Lane will be opened on the following dates in 2017 and on other dates not listed below as needed:

April 22-23

Memorial Day Weekend May 27-28

Fourth of July Weekend July 1-2

Labor Day Weekend Sept. 2-3

Oct. 7-8

Oct. 14-15

Oct. 21-22

On all other dates, please enter Grandfather Mountain through the main Entrance Gate. Admission tickets will be accepted for entry at either entrance up to one hour before the park closes.

To redeem your tickets upon arrival, please present a printed copy of your e-tickets (with barcodes), which will be sent to your email address upon completion of purchase online. Due to poor cell phone reception near the mountain, we do NOT recommend relying on your smartphone, tablet or other handheld device to present your ticketing information.

To access the prepaid traffic lane, you MUST have prepaid tickets for each member of your travel party. We regret that we cannot accept additional purchases in this lane.

To use the Prepaid Lane, simply look for the signs designating “Prepaid Lane” as you approach MacRae Meadows and present your tickets to the Grandfather Mountain staff to receive your audio tour CD and daily event calendar.

Guests who travel to Grandfather Mountain via the Blue Ridge Parkway will find it more convenient to enter through the main Entrance Gate, rather than the prepaid lane.